Chamberlain welcomes UK deal to rejoin Erasmus programme
Wendy Chamberlain, MP for North East Fife, has welcomed news that the UK will rejoin the Erasmus scheme for students from 2027.
ExCo
Six years after the UK ended its participation due to decisions by the previous UK government, from 2027 students in the UK will be able to spend a year in Europe as part of their degree courses without paying extra fees, and vice versa for Europeans.
The Erasmus scheme enables students to study, train or volunteer in other European countries for up to a year, without paying any extra fees. It is also open to those in vocational training, apprentices or people who are retraining through a college or school. Students usually pay standard fees to their home institutions, with additional costs covered by the European Union.
Almost 1.5 million people and 85,600 organisations took part in the Erasmus scheme in 2024.
Wendy Chamberlain MP said: “I am delighted that the government has reached this agreement, restoring a vital opportunity to live and study abroad to young people across the UK.
“I know that the University of St Andrews in my constituency warmly welcome this decision too and share my view of the importance of students having the ability to move across borders to gain and exchange knowledge, culture, and experience.
“The next step must be to secure a full youth mobility scheme with our European allies, so that young people can work across the EU as they did before.
“In the longer term this surely points the way towards a better and more productive relationship with Europe by reducing the trade barriers and red tape put up by the last government. That would be good for our economy, and better for our young people as well.”